It would almost be bearable if the scoreline had somehow failed to represent the flow of the game. But no: Germany's dominance was strikingly absolute. It was Brazil's worst ever World Cup defeat and felt like a punch in the face.

After the game, Luiz Felipe Scolari opted for a deflationary tone. "We're on a path, as Germany are," he claimed. "From my 23, at least 14 or 15 will be in the squad in 2018."

It was perhaps the only thing he could say to take the heat off, but no one really believes this Mineiraço will go down as a mere defeat, a bump on the road. Rather, it could and should be the tragedy that shakes Brazilian football into a rethink.

The question, once the dust has settled, will be this: "What now for Brazil?"

Not a prayer: Luiz Gustavo after the final whistle on Tuesday night (Photo: Getty Images)

Governance

Of all the greedy white men that control global football, Brazil has been cursed with some of the most despicable... from João Havelange to Ricardo Teixeira, they have left a trail of slime through the pages of this country's footballing history books.

Current CBF president José Maria Marin is an odious character, whose rap sheet includes the theft of a medal from a youth tournament and vocal support for the military dictatorship that crippled Brazil for years.

"If we don't win, we'll go to hell," he declared before the World Cup, with typical idiocy. After the defeat in Belo Horizonte, he then had the gall to expel Seleção legend Cafu from the dressing room, on the grounds that he didn't want "strange people" consoling the players.

The sooner Brazil rids itself of these parasites - and the corrupt old world they represent - the better.

This could be a pipe dream, however. Marin has already picked his successor: Marco Polo Del Nero, who is sadly not nearly as worldly as his name implies.

The ills of the Brazilian game are too complex and numerous to get into in any great detail here, but here's a crib sheet: idiotic club owners, rampant short-termism, fan violence, congested fixture lists, low attendances, unpaid wages, corruption, arcane tactics, laughable referees.

The correlation between a strong domestic league and a successful national side is tenuous, of course (hi, Premier League!), but Brazil is still where most Brazilian players, coaches and suits learn the ropes.

The creation last year of Common Sense FC, a de facto players' union led by Gilberto Silva, Alex and other veterans, must continue to grow and agitate for change.

Coach and style

Scolari refused to be drawn on his future after the Germany game, but it is unthinkable that he will still be around in four years' time. To whom, then, do Brazil turn?

Unfortunately, the cut-throat nature of the Brasileirão is such that coaches fall into two main categories: the storied dukes who have been around long enough to weather their share of storms (Scolari, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, Muricy Ramalho) and the once-promising coaches who have been burnt (Dorival Júnior, Mano Menezes).

Only man who manages to avoid those paradigms is Marcelo Oliveira. Committed to fluid, attacking football, he caught the eye at Coritiba and has since shone with Cruzeiro, whom he guided to the Brazilian title last year.

Appointing him would signify a clean break with the recent past and could pay dividends - if he is given the time and freedom to shape a new era.

On his bike? Luiz Felipe Scolari is surely on his way out (Photo: Reuters)

Players

Plenty of the current squad have a future at international level.

Neymar, Oscar and Bernard will all be older and wiser by 2018 and could form a fine, dynamic attacking unit. Midfielders Luiz Gustavo, Fernandinho and Ramires also have plenty to contribute.

In defence, the inquest into the Germany game should not obscure the fine partnership between David Luiz and Thiago Silva. The pair have started 26 games together for Brazil and have not lost a single one. Both have a part to play going forward, as does Marcelo.

Elsewhere, there is plenty of dead wood to clear out. Fred, Jô and Henrique should be the first to go. Maicon and Júlio César have been fine servants but age is not on their side.

Then there are those who will have to prove themselves anew. Hernanes is a superb operator at club level, but has never really been able to fit into Brazil's system. Dani Alves had a poor tournament. Paulinho must rediscover the form that made him such a prospect at Corinthians.

There are prospects out there, albeit not quite as numerous as Brazilians would want. Dória (Botafogo), Marquinhos (PSG) and Alex Telles (Galatasaray) could be the future of the defence, in 2022 if not in Russia. Philippe Coutinho should probably have been in Scolari's 23. Lucas Silva, Mayke and Éverton Ribeiro have all shone at Cruzeiro and could make the step up.

There is also the floundering Olympic generation who would have once expected to star this summer: Alexandre Pato, Lucas Moura, Leandro Damião. None has developed as expected but all remain the right side of 25. If there is to be a bright new dawn for Brazil, they could yet be a part of it.